Mandevilla plant named ‘QD18’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘QD18’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and relatively large white-colored flowers with yellow-colored throats that are held upright above the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla sanderi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘QD18’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee of the instant application, Graff Breeding A/S of Sabro, Denmark on Nov. 26, 2021, application number 2021/3052. Foreign priority is not claimed to this European Plant Breeder's Rights application.

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘QD18’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Sabro, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely branching Mandevilla plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Sabro, Denmark in August, 2016 of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number QD-0600, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number QD-0832, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sabro, Denmark in May, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sabro, Denmark, since September, 2019 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘QD18’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘QD18’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Relatively large white-colored flowers with yellow-colored         throats that are held upright above the foliar plane.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Mandevilla have white-colored flowers whereas plants of the female parent selection have soft pink-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in leaf size as plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller leaves than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmanderemi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,449. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants ‘Sunmanderemi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of ‘Sunmanderemi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla do not produce tendrils whereas         plants of ‘Sunmanderemi’ produce tendrils.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have white-colored flowers         whereas plants of ‘Sunmanderemi’ have red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘QD18’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Sabro, Denmark and under cultural practices typical of commercial Mandevilla production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 21° C. and light levels ranged from 40 klux to 50 klux. Plants were pinched two times and were 31 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla sanderi ‘QD18’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number QD-0600, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number QD-0832, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About four weeks             at soil and ambient temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About six             weeks at soil and ambient temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About seven             weeks at soil and ambient temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; typically close to 161C in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.         -   Tubers.—Tuber formation has been observed on plants older             than one year. Length: About 3 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 5             mm to 10 mm. Shape: Linear. Texture: Rough, glabrous. Color:             Epidermis: Close to 157C. Cortical tissue: Close to 161C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and broadly upright plant             habit; overall plant shape is broadly obovate; moderately             vigorous growth habit and moderate to slow growth rate;             freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 20 cm             to 30 cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 21 cm             to 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 25 cm to 35 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit, about two to four primary lateral branches             each with typically two to four secondary lateral branches             developing per plant. Length: About 10 cm to 25 cm.             Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 3 cm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy to matte; becoming             woody with development. Color, developing: Close to 144A.             Color, developed: Close to 144A; when woody, becoming closer             to 199A to 199B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm to 9 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm to 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Acute to rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             coriaceous; not rugose; semi-glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             coriaceous; not rugose; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Full             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146A; venation, close to 136A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong to strong. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous to sparsely             pubescent; semi-glossy to matte. Color, upper surface: Close             to 146B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arranged singly or in terminal or axillary racemes; flowers             rounded star-shaped and face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit with about three to six flower buds and             about one to two open flowers per inflorescence; about 40 to             50 flowers develop during the flowering season.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             spring into the autumn in Denmark; plants begin flowering             about nine to twelve weeks after final pinch.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About 8 to 14 days; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height (before flowers open).—About 3 cm to 7             cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter (before flowers open).—About 3 cm to             7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 1             cm to 2 cm. Shape: Rhomboidal. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 157A.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, petals fused and             five-parted; petals imbricate. Diameter: About 10 cm to             13 cm. Depth (length): About 3 cm to 4 cm. Throat diameter:             About 2 cm to 3 cm. Tube length: About 2 cm. Tube diameter:             About 4 mm to 5 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl; proximally, petals are fused into a funnelform             tube. Petal length: About 4 cm to 6 cm. Petal width: About 5             cm to 6 cm. Petal shape and appearance: Unequal spatulate to             fan- shaped. Petal apex: Acuminate to mucronate. Petal             margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; not rugose;             moderately velvety; matte. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately velvety. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety. Color: Petal, when opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 155B. Petal, fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155B; venation, close to 155B;             color does not change with subsequent development. Throat:             Close to 12A; venation, close to 11B. Tube: Close to 145B;             venation, close to 145B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl. Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About             5 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal             base: Rounded. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Sepal color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 145B. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 145B; towards the apex, close to 46B;             towards the base, close to 145A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm             to 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to             144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm             to 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to             145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             Typically five; basifixed; anthers connivent. Filament             length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to 11C. Anther             size: About 2 mm by 4 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther             color: Close to 161B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 162C. Pistils: Quantity: Typically two. Pistil             length: About 2 cm. Style length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Style             color: Close to 157B. Stigma diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Stigma shape: Rounded to deltoid. Stigma color: Close to             138B. Ovary color: Close to 143B.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Length: About 10 cm to             20 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 5 mm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 138A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: More than 100. Length: About 5 mm             to 10 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 200D. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Mandevilla     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate temperatures of about 10° C. to 44° C. and to     be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 10B through 13. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘QD18’ as illustrated and described. 